Hospital: Voters would approve tax increase

Some voters said they’re supportive of a sales tax increase to benefit Saint Louise Regional Hospital, according to a recent phone survey the private hospital commissioned; however – the tax is more attractive if it were paired with funding education, fire services, police officers or services for the elderly.
After surveying about 500 registered voters in Gilroy by phone in the last weeks of December 2011, “results indicate support for a sales tax increase among likely November 2012 voters,” wrote Saint Louise spokeswoman Jasmine Nguyen via email Wednesday.
In early January, Nguyen said the poll results were being tabulated and would be “shared with community leaders” in two weeks.
“This year is shaping up to potentially have several statewide ballot measures affecting taxes and the funding of essential services,” she said Wednesday. “This is a topic we are all interested in.”
When asked about the potential of a “general purpose” sales tax increase measure ranging between one-half to one-fourth percent, 61 percent of “likely November 2012 voters” expressed support, according to Nguyen.
Polling comes on the heels of an exponentially growing need for emergency medical services at Saint Louise, Nguyen explained.
The hospital is searching for a means to expand its emergency room; a project Nguyen said will cost $25 to $30 million.
Having received “three times the national average” number of patients requiring emergency medical services in 2011 for a facility of its size, Nguyen explained in January the hospital needs “explore all avenues to help meet the community needs for more emergency service capacity.”
If a tax proposal is formulated and eventually brought before Gilroy City Council, Councilman Perry Woodward said the idea could be “dead on arrival.”
“Why should people who shop in Gilroy and local merchants be footing the bill for the entire area?” he questioned. “I don’t think that it would be something the voters would support.”
Saint Louise is a privately owned hospital that does not turn anyone away based on inability to pay. It is owned and run by the Daughters of Charity, a regional healthcare system in California. Saint Louise is the only emergency room in South County; the next closest is Hazel Hawkins in Hollister, Valley Medical Center and Santa Teresa Kaiser Hospital (both in San Jose).
“Last year, we saw over 26,000 patients in our emergency room, three times the national average for a hospital our size,” Nguyen wrote in January of Saint Louise, which has 93 licensed beds in the entire hospital.
When the phone survey was conducted in December, voters were asked about a “variety of city services and hospital improvements that the funds could be spent on,” Nguyen wrote.
Marrying the potential hospital tax with other services in Gilroy proved to be a more attractive option, according to 66 percent of those who responded.
Voters were asked what would make them supportive of a sales tax increase, then given a list of options. According to Nguyen, 66 percent or more of the respondents said they would be in favor of sales taxes that helps maintain preschool, after-school and library programs for children and teens; fire services; neighborhood police patrols; senior services and programs; providing state-of-the-art medical technology for patients in need of emergency care; expanding cardiac services and emergency cardiac care for heart attack victims; and expanding/improving emergency services.
When asked via email the geographic boundaries of where the sales tax initiative would potentially apply (Gilroy? Morgan Hill? San Martin?) Nguyen stated the poll was only directed toward Gilroy voters.
Nguyen reiterated there is no proposal at this time regarding the specifics of a possible sales tax measure, for example how much it would be.
“Ultimately, any ballot measure in Gilroy would have to be supported, developed and placed on the ballot by the City Council,” she explained. “This will be the city’s decision.”
City Councilman Bob Dillon said he heard about the polls conducted by Saint Louise. Chances of passing a new sales tax – which would require two-thirds approval by voters – are pretty slim, in his opinion.
“I don’t think the community would be open to it, and I wouldn’t vote for it myself,” Dillon said. “It’s a private hospital. It should be funded privately.”